Wine.com Quick Facts

Professional Ratings: 91 Wine & Spirits

Region: Chile, South America

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Style: Light & Crisp

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

10%

16%

Item no. 105263

Winemaker's Notes:

The color is bright, crystalline straw yellow. The aroma is very expressive and exuberant, with tremendous personality. Notes of herbes fines framed by aromas of lime and mineral notes that lend complexity and elegance. On the palate it's voluminous, well-balanced, and fresh, with the clear notes of green chilies that are so typical in this valley and a harmoniously crisp finish. with oysters and ceviches. Also good with baked or grilled fish and goat cheese.

Critical Acclaim:

Grapefruit aromas and flavors shoot through this sauvignon with pleasing, juicy bitterness. That grapefruit character is surrounded by other citrus notes, building on the volume of the wine with intense freshness.

91 Points

Wine & Spirits

Related Links:

Learn More About the Winery

Over the years, Santa Ema has been recognized by the most important national and international organizations and has earned numerous medals in competitions such as the Concours Mundial de Bruxelles and distinctions in the prestigious international trade magazines. It was recently added to Wine Spectator's list of Top 20 World's Finest Value Brands, Wine Advocate rated four Santa Ema wines above 90 points, and Wine & Spirits named it Value Winery of the Year. But for Santa Ema, the most important distinction of all is the preference of its consumers around the world to appreciate the work of three generations dedicated to the production of consistently high quality wines.

Learn More About Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc(so-veen-YAWN blahnk)
One of the most distinctive grapes, Sauvignon Blanc is a highly aromatic variety
that does well in both the old and new world. From the Loire
Valley of France to Marlborough
in New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc has found many regions that bring out its unique
and delicious flavors.

Notable Facts
Sauvignon Blanc's home is the Loire Valley of France, where it produces the
crisp, grassy mineral-tinged wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume (not to be mistaken
with Pouilly Fuisse in Burgundy
- that would be Chardonnay). Wine of this region is crisp and grassy, with delicious minerality and an
occasional gun flint/smokey character. In the 1970's, New Zealand planted its first cuttings
of Sauvignon Blanc, which in turn brought the country to the forefront of the
wine world. In New Zealand, the variety exudes its typical crisp acidity, as
well as pungent passion fruit and grapefruit aromas and flavors. In
California,
Sauvignon Blanc is produced both in stainless steel (like New Zealand and France)
and with a touch of oak. The wooded versions maintain the acidity of the grape
but tone down the intense citrus flavors with subtle oak characteristics. Winemakers
differ in their addition or choice of oak. The grape also produces delicious
wines from Chile and
Italy.

Learn More About Chile, South America

(CHEE-lay)

Long and thin, Chile has a lot of land north to south. The wine region here is a series of districts based near Santiago. The vineyards are protected by the Pacific on the west and the Andes mountains on the east. This could help explain why the climate changes more from east to west than north to south – also why the country has remained phylloxera free. Quite a few wineries in Chile were founded by large French wine companies. Seeing the potential of the country, vineyards were bought and planted by these French folks and the results tell of a smart investment. Some of these wineries include: Los Vascos, Casa Lapostolle and Cousino Macul.
And while the inspiration may have been French, but the wines here are quite Chilean.

Notable Facts

The main regions of Chile include Maipo (pronounced MY-poh), known for reds like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere; Casablanca Valley, a region producing delicious Sauvignon Blanc, as well as other whites & some
reds; Colchaugua, an inland district creating amazing red wines from Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly in the Apalta sub-region; and Rapel Valley, settled right under Maipo and producing the same red varietals. A couple of smaller regions to watch include Limari and Elqui, two valleys further north, producing some delicious cool-climate Chardonnay and Bio Bio, an area further south, which is also focused on cool-climate varieties. Chilean wines are growing in exports and more consumers are enjoying the delicious values coming from the country. Red wines of the region, though they cannot be generalized, make the whole gamut of wine quality – quaffable to collectible. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Carmenere are the main players, though Syrah is also making a splash. Some of the best reds are blends of the above varieties. As for whites, Sauvignon Blanc is typically crisp, herbal and racy, while Chardonnay is richer in style with full-bodied texture and tropical fruit flavors.

User Reviews:

George Khabenskiy (2/13/2013)

fantastic value. Easily one of the best Sauvignon Blancs in under $20 category.

PeterM (2/14/2013)

This is a typical Chilean Sauvignon Blanc; more citrus than New Zealand or domestic products. Very enjoyable, but not quite on par with Veramonte (which seems to be sold out everywhere). It was a great purchase at $10/bottle and will be a great summer wine.

esined65 (2/20/2013)

Did not like this Sauvignon Blanc, very odd flavours with a long lingering aftertaste, wouldn't buy again...